The Grenada gazette., 1887-10-22
CAN IT BE TRUE?

Nm Lyle, In Journaliss.
CAN IT BE TRUE?
Ne Story Of q Negro's Escape
From Death.
Was Hanged in Arkansas, But After
cards Turned Up Alive in Massacliu.
setts-His Own Story of His
Experiences.
It will be remembered by many peo.
Ne Of the State that about three years
90 negro was hanged at Lonoke,
6is State. Afterwards it was pub
,hed that the negro had came to life.
shich announcement created consid-
,rsble excitement among the people in
the vicinity Of the place where the
banging occurred. A few days ago
ibis same negro showed up in Worces-
her, Mass, with a crooked neck, as
will be seen by the following account,
which is taken from the Worcester
GLASS; Telegram. 1t says:
Yesterday afternoon a col ored man
was taken i'll on the Commons, and
would have fallen but for the timely
assistance of two bystanders. The
man had been wandering about the
Commons since morning, and had
been noticed on account of the pecu-
lisr way in which he carried his head.
It hung toward his right shoulder, and
he seemed to take no pains to pull
It into the position in which people
carry their heads. He
was respectfully dress in clothes that
had evidently not been made for him,
and his boots looked as il he had
walked considerable distance.
When he had been assisted to a seat
'e tainted. and when he regained con-
ciousness he clutched at his throat
ore away his collar and said appeal
ngly: mo. no! My God! Not
gain!" His embarrassment when he
,oked about him was marked. One
the gentlemen who had assisted
i'm to seat left when the colored
ian had recovered. but the other re-
'ained and questioned him rs soon as
3 had recovered his composure.
He did not belong in Worcester, he
i'd, and he had never been here be-
re. He had walked in from New
aven. begging shelter and food as
went and had only got to this
ty in the early morning. He had
friends and he said he was not
lie to work. The man seemed fur
ed by his faintness and weak, and
lie humane person who had remained
his side took him to a restaurant
d saw HIM properly fed. 1t was in
burst Of gratitude and confidence at
ing SO well treated that the colored
IN told tale so utterly marvellous
to be utterably unworthy Of
,dence were 1t not corroborated by
own facts.
Il was sitting in the Common after
had dined that he said: Il have
d trouble with my neck and been
'ject to fainting spells ever since
8 hanged in Arkansas"
The expression was startling enough
make any one think the man was
'zy. but rs he was circumstantial as
details Of time and place. and 1t
a well-known fact that negro was
ally hanged three years ago in Ar
lsas for assault on white woman
afterwards recovered conscious
he case attracted much attention at
time. As published then. the negro
} suspended for twenty minutes af-
the old fashioned platform gallows
and the body was given by the
rif to the father Of the young
.. who, with some friends, was
ting near by with q wagon. 1t was
intention to take him to the settle. ,
1t where he formerly lived. and
him there. This settlement was
rteen miles from the county scat,
was . lonely piece Of country. !,
en- the wagon was nearly at home !.
father Of the supposed corpse and !
friends were startled by groans {
ing from under the tarpaulin
'wp over the supposed dead man !
his struggles to get from under It.
loon a. they had recovered from
; fright they went back to tho
on. from which they had fed, and
ed tho legally dead man up. gave '
. drink from the omnipresent jug v
hisky and took him home. In b
q Of leaving the settlement at
! the hanged man stayed around d
I'd home and the superstitious
red people demanded bis rearrest Il
the cornpletion Of the hanging. n
case was taken TO the Governor. IL
pending discussion as TO the h
J of ~ authorities to take cogni-
= q tho existence of . convict
- been pronounced legally u
. tAs man tsd and has been y
a9ree svsr since g
y QAetotV ~ ~ naeno Coincid0d II